The Morning After - By Stephen Cooke, Copyright (c) 2001

Introduction.

This adventure was written as a means of solving that age-old problem of getting a party to work together.
Hopefully it also works as a good story. Many parts of the adventure are glossed over but it should be
relatively easy to expand on those parts should the GM or players wish. I've out left most detail concerning
game mechanics as no doubt a GM will want to tailor them for himself, besides, hopefully you all have
rulebooks of your own from which to get creature stats and suchlike. The adventure takes place in parts of
the Wild Coast and Far Isles, namely Jhangara, Cabal Magicus (above Phantas) and the Thaecian Isles.
Suitable character archetypes would include Phantasian Dream Merchants, Goa-Din Sea Rogues,
Phantasian Guardians, Thiasian Performers, Cymrilian Swordsmages and Blue Ariad Scouts. Basically
anyone who might have a reason to be in Cabal Magicus and would be willing to commit a crime in the
name of good or for cash would be suitable. Anyway, enough preamble, on with the show...

Backstory.

Many moons ago, the mighty empire of Rajanistan purchased the secret of windship technology from their
allies the Farad. Soon the militarists in Rajanistan discovered that their navigation systems were wanting
and set out to remedy the situation. This they decided to do by stealing the secrets employed in the
manufacture of Phantasian astromantic globes.

A small team of agents was despatched by the Nihilist cult to Phantas, with a generous supply of gold
lumens and an enslaved geomancer. After a secret survey of the Thaecian Isles for a suitable site on which
to build a hidden base, the Rajans discovered a small cave on the island of Peridia. The agents forced their
geomancer to enlarge and improve the cave and over several months they improved it considerably (all the
while gathering intelligence relating to their task). Once the base was complete the geomancer was ritually
sacrificed as an offering of thanks to the Khadun. The Rajan priests contacted the souls of several
deceased Phantasians and discovered the name of a Phantasian suitably skilled in the manufacture of
astromantic globes; her name was Starella. The agents began preparations to sneak into Cabal Magicus
and kidnap Starella. They set sail in a small fishing boat but had made hardly any distance before disaster
struck. Their small boat was mistaken for prey by a large sea scorpion and the agents were soon little more
than tiny pieces of leftover carrion for scavengers of the sea to feed upon. The mission had come to an
abrupt and messy end. The small number of servants and guards left on the base were lost without either
their masters or a means of leaving the island and informed the authorities in Rajanistan of the missions
failure by carrier-bird.

The Rajan authorities decided that the mission was still important but were unwilling to risk so many agents
again. This time only a single, extremely skilled operative, equipped with a magical mask that would allow
him to take on the form of any dead person who's blood was poured into the mouth of the mask, was
despatched to the Thaecian Isles.

Upon his arrival at Peridia the agent found that all save two of the Vird guardsmen, stationed at the base in
the previous mission, had died horribly from Corpse Rot. The agent vowed not to repeat the failures of the
previous mission and set about salvaging what he could from it. Once he had sufficiently prepared himself
the agent - named Raj-Vorn, sailed to the beautiful island of Dalia. Once upon the island he concealed
himself close to the famous buffs on the western part of the island and awaited the arrival of sightseers
hoping to enjoy the legendary views afforded by them by said buffs. Soon his patience was rewarded by the
arrival of a pair of young lovers intent on enjoying the sunset together. Vorn slew the couple and took the
appearance of the young man - who had been known as Phrixies.

Vorn (now Phrixies) returned to the murdered couple's windrigger and sailed it back to Cabal Magicus.
Once safely ensconced in the floating citadel he set up a base of operations in a little used part of the castle
and set about seducing the enchantress Starella.

Starella, an ageing and none-to-attractive widow (but nonetheless an extremely skilled enchantress), was
delighted to receive the attentions of someone as young and handsome as Phrixies and she soon fell
completely in love with him. Over time Phrixies/Vorn gradually fed Starella a story designed to manoeuvre
her where he wanted. Vorn told Starella that he was in dire trouble with a powerful crime lord as a result of
huge unpaid gambling debts. In his ambition to make a name for himself Vorn decided to gain extra regard
in Rajanistan by, not only kidnapping Starella but by also stealing a windship from the Phantasians. Vorn
revealed to Starella that the shadowy crime-lord he owed so much to had promised to have him killed unless
he stole a windship and flew it to Cymril for him. Obviously he would never be able to return to Cabal
Magicus after doing such a deed. Thus Vorn persuaded Starella to aid him in stealing a ship and to
accompany him in his flight to Cymril and a new life together.

Starella and Phrixies hired the PC's to help them steal and crew a ship (which Phrixies claimed belonged to
a rival crime-lord). After stealing the ship and loading Starella's possessions upon it, they set out at full
speed to Cymril. Unfortunately their theft was uncovered earlier than expected and a navy vessel was
despatched in pursuit of them. Vorn soon realised that the antiquated vessel he had acquired had no
chance of outrunning the pursuing vessel. Keeping their pursuit secret from the crew, Vorn persuaded
Starella that their only hope for escape now was to kill their crew to prevent them identifying them later and
then to crash the ship. Together they could escape into the night on one of the ship's lifeboats and their
pursuers and those he owed would think them dead in the crash. By now Starella was so blinded by love for
Phrixies and panic about their situation that she agreed to his plan. Vorn, drunk on the cruel perversion of
the act, convinced Starella to do the murder. Vorn told Starella that he had a number of poisons in a
cupboard in their cabin and went to make preparations for escape. Come the moment of truth however,
Starella could not bring herself to murder the crew in cold blood. So, taking a sleeping draught from the
cupboard instead, she put the crew into a slumber during their supper. To prevent them from recalling their
ordeal, and figuring the risks to their minds were preferable to killing them, she used a dangerous ancient
Archean device to extract and bottle their recent memories. Taking the bottled memories with her, she
returned to Phrixies and informed him that she had done the murder. Vorn took the old windship down over
the swamps of south-eastern Jhangara and the couple escaped in a windrigger lifeboat. The chasing
Phantasian navy vessel witnessed the fall from the sky of their prey but, come morning, were unable to
locate the crash site and so returned to Cabal Magicus with the news that the ship had probably been
destroyed. The crew (the PC's) survived the crash but now held no memories of any recent events.

After escaping Vorn sailed the windrigger to his base on Peridia, intending to torture the information he
required from Starella and then kill her, rather than having to take her to Rajanistan alive. Once at Peridia,
Vorn revealed his true form and his evil plan to Starella and then imprisoned her. Now Vorn is torturing the
secrets of astromantic globe production from her. Soon he will have all the knowledge he needs and
Rajanistan will rule the skies above Talislanta (well that's the plan anyhow)!

Scene One - The Awakening.

The PC's groggily awake from a drug-induced stupor. As they become aware of their surroundings it is
apparent that they are in a fair amount of trouble. It is a humid night and the stars are out, the air smells of
rotting plants and a cloud of small biting insects surrounds them, feasting on their blood. Worse still, the
PC's are in a large iron cage mounted on the back of a wide-wheeled wagon and their legs are manacled
together with crude, clanking iron chains. Peering through the bars of their prison they discern themselves
to be in some kind of small temporary camp. Nearby burns a fire and around it are arrayed several brutal
looking Imrians and a group of drunken Jhangarans (those familiar with Jhangaran culture might identify
them as Marsh Hunters). The Jhangarans stagger drunkenly about and laugh loudly as one of the Imrians
tosses them a clinking pouch of lumens "For the Slaves." As the Jhangarans weave inebriatedly off into the
night, singing and punching each other, the Imrians open a cask of fermented brine.
While their new owners entertain themselves with drinking contests, live slug eating competitions and tests
of strength, the PC's realise that they have no idea how they have got themselves into such an
unsatisfactory position. The last anyone can recall is looking for gainful employment in the floating city of
Cabal Magicus over the island of Phantas. Self examination reveals that each PC is clad solely in his
underclothes and each sports a patchwork tapestry of bruises, aches and small cuts. Further to this, each
has gained a pair of uniform red blisters on each of his temples (perhaps the PC's will think themselves
victims of Neurivores?). A skilled astromancer could ascertain that some two or three days look to have
passed since anyone can recall anything and those with geographic knowledge could hazard a guess that
their location is somewhere close to the south-eastern Jhangaran coastline.

No doubt it would be wise to consider all possible means of escape. Interrupting the Imrians from their
entertainment to make demands or ask questions looks unwise and would probably result in verbal abuse at
best. The camp consists of a dozen Imrians WHO: Imrian Slaver
arrayed around a fire, drinking, shouting and APPEARANCE: 6’ – 6’ 6’’, 200 – 280lbs. Yellow scaly skin coated with
fighting. In the shadowy outskirts of the translucent slime, webbed hands and feet, double row of fangs, muscular,
camp, outside the fire circle is large, pegged- sloping shoulders.
down animal, which, judging by the smell, is SKILLS: Animal Handler +3
+4 -4 0 -3 Capture pole +10 Appraiser: Slaves +6
a particularly bilious Durge (no-doubt used to STR DEX PER CHA Oc +10 Merchant +2
pull the slave wagon and carry the Imrians' Low Talislan: basic
baggage). Near to the wagon that imprisons +2 -2 0 -1 Piscine: native
the party is small pile of boxes and sacks, * WIL INT Survival +5
CON SPD Stealth +2
one of which glows slightly (on account of it Traps +3
containing a small amount of scintilla) and +4 28 -3 Pilot: Coracle +4
another that wriggles unpleasantly (due to CR HP MR
the large number of live marsh slugs within SPECIAL: Amphibious; SPD +5 in water, Hide provides PR 1 armour, claws do
it). DR 2 +STR; immune to Batrean females’ scent, slime coating allows survival
for up to a week on land (half in hot, dry climates).
EQUIPMENT: Loincloth of Kra hide, necklace of brass ring currency, capture
At this point it might be wise for the PCs to pole (DR 1, pincers hold victim at STR +1), oc (barbed bolas: DR 2, thrown,
become acquainted with one another whilst on Partial Success inflict half damage and do not entangle, on Full Success
they quietly discuss methods of escape. An thrower can choose to entangle target’s arms or legs in addition to full
damage; entangling the legs will bring down a running target. Critical
opportunity for such an escape occurs Success can bring down a stationary target. Removing bolas roll vs DEX at –
several hours later when the Imrians finally 1 or suffer an extra point of damage. Bolas must be carried in narrow wooden
tire of their uncouth activities and bed down case or becomes entangled.), shoulder pouch, water skin filled with brine, 25
for the night in slimy mud-filled ground- GL in assorted currencies, 15 GL in Imrian brass rings.
hollows.
Surely our intrepid heroes can find away to escape their manacles, defeat the heavy lock on the cage, steal
some weapons (and possibly money) from the pile of baggage and sneak away into the night, without
waking the snoring Imrians! Considering the dangers of an unknown swamp by night, it might even be
prudent to follow the path made by the drunken Jhangarans. Come morning the Imrians will probably be
furious, but slowed down by baggage and wagon and with several hours head-start given to the party, it is
unlikely that they will consider hunting down their erstwhile captives (especially since their ex slaves will
have probably been eaten by swamp monsters anyway).
WHO: Water Raknid Warrior p. 215
WHO: Flit p. 246
APPEARANCE: 6’ – 6’ 6’’, 200 – 300lbs.
APPEARANCE: Small winged insect. Demon/Scorpion hybrid. Humanoid, heavily
armoured carapace, hooked talons.
SPECIAL: Barbed legs, Blood drain (DR 1 per SKILLS:
hour, max 3 HP/insect/day), anaesthetic bite is +4 -2 +1 NA Ability Level 3 - 15
non-painful and can carry swamp fever. STR DEX PER CHA
Smoke makes insects release barbs and drop
harmlessly to the ground. Repelled by whispbane
+6 -2 NA NA
and mungberry juice.
CON SPD WIL INT

Upon their escape the PC's experience a far-from-pleasant +3 23 -3

moonlit walk through the swamp. In their hasty flight they are CR HP MR
plagued by Flits, fed upon by leeches, covered from head to SPECIAL: * Psychically controlled by queen.
Claws DR 8, Tail Stinger DR 10 + paralysis (resist
food in mud and swamp slime, nauseated by marsh stench and with CON, duration 20 rounds). Exoskeleton PR 3,
probably attacked by all kinds of such interesting examples of Leap 20 ft., immune to magical control and
local fauna as the fascinating Water Raknid. Still, at least the influence
Jhangarans are easy to follow, which is just as well, because if
one were to wander from the path it would be extremely likely that one would perish in the inhospitable and
dangerous swamp.

*GM Note: The Archean Memory extraction process has the side effect that long term memories are fuzzy
for a few days afterwards. Skills and spells might be difficult to remember (at the GM’s discretion).

GM Background.

Vorn only flew the windship over Jhangaran swamps so that any that followed him would think he was
headed for Cymril. Once over land he crashed the ship and escaped with his mistress in one of the ship's
two small windrigger lifeboats. Fortunately for them, the PC's survived the crash but were left unconscious
from the drugs given to them by Starella. The crashing of a windship into the marsh attracted a number of
Jhangaran Marsh Hunters who looted the ship and rescued the unconscious PC's. When the ship began to
sink into the marsh the Jhangarans fled in terror, taking their booty with them. On the way back to their
village the hunters realised that they had no real use for several unconscious people, who might well want
their goods back when they awakened. Happily for them they encountered a group of Imrian slavers and
sold them the PC's, a sack of scintilla and a bag of marsh slugs...problem solved. The Jhangarans returned
to the ship to find it had only partly submerged but were frightened to loot it further when a Swamp Lurker
ate one of them. Now they believe the ship to be cursed and will not approach it. Back at their village tall
tales have been told and now people are beginning to come to the conclusion that all goods from the ship
are cursed. If only they could trick some stupid foreigners into taking away such evil aspected items...!

Scene Two - Civilisation (sort of).

Come morning, the tired and battered PC's reach the end of the trail and emerge from the worst of the
swamp where they soon stumble upon a primitive village. The little village sits on an island in a small
artificial pool, numbers perhaps a dozen huts and is surrounded by a crude fence of sharpened logs. A
badly built watch tower guards the entrance and it seems that the only way into the ramshackled swarm of
hovels lies across a rickety-looking bridge. A drunken, snoring Jhangaran with crude green cloth ties around
his limbs, slumps over the waist-high wall of the small wooden watchtower, blithely unaware of the
approaching adventurers. The waters of the pool around the village reek and there are pieces of rotting
refuse floating in it. Beneath the surface though, the PC's can see that the bottom has been covered with
wooden spikes to prevent easy crossing.
WHO: Jhangaran Marsh Hunter

APPEARANCE: 5’ 6’’ – 6’ 7’’, 100 – 200lbs, Marbled brown sepia-

coloured skin, elongated limbs, elliptical cranium, pinched, angular
features, hairless.
SKILLS: Tracking +5
+1 +1 +2 -2 Javelin +5 Stealth +4
STR DEX PER CHA Dagger +4 Traps +5
Brawling +4 Ride +4
+2 0 -2 -1 Merchant +1
CON SPD WIL INT Survival +5
Low Talislan: native
+3 20 -4 Sign: basic
CR HP MR
SPECIAL: None; Outcasts are regarded by other Jhangarans to have
CHA –10.
EQUIPMENT: Loincloth, green arm and leg wrappings, green cloak,
backpack, stone dagger (DR 4), flask of liquor, two stone tipped
javelins (DR 8), spool of chord for snares, marsh strider steed (p.
246) , 20 GL in assorted currencies.

After a night in the swamp even the Jhangarans could be considered good company, besides, without the
help of the Jhangarans the PC's are unlikely to ever find out what has happened to them. Before any great
plans can be formulated however, the guard in the tower is woken with a start from his slumber by his own
prodigious snoring. Upon seeing the party, his terror at the return of the enslaved 'cursed ones' is apparent,
he drops his spear in his haste to climb down from the tower and the PC's soon hear his shouts from within
the settlement. Soon, a number of Jhangaran heads appear above the wall and couple of sacks are thrown
onto the bridge (these sacks contain the PCs' 'cursed' personal equipment). The Jhangarans peering over
the wall beg the PC's to leave them be and seem to regard them with superstitious fear (much as they would
Jhangaran Outcasts). Questioning the Marsh Hunters about the PC's origins illicits the response that the
Jhangarans are 'innocent and have stolen nothing from the sky ship'! Persistence is met with the offer to
provide a guide to the ship. Acceptance is followed by sounds of a scuffle and the wooden gates are opened
enough for a struggling Jhangaran to be forced, at spear-point, onto the bridge. The sobbing Jhangaran
implores the party on his knees not to curse him. He promises to show them the way to their ship should
they offer assurances to the fact that no harm will befall him.

After some six miles of slogging through hot, noisome and hellishly unpleasant marsh, guided by the
snivelling, terrified Jhangaran (who does his utmost to avoid being touched by anyone) the group comes
upon the remains of a crashed windship. Above the surface of the swamp, the back fifteen-foot of a ruined
windship pokes above the bubbling swamp mud. At this point the Jhangaran guide runs screaming in fear
into the marsh and is soon lost from sight in the tall reeds.
Scene Three - The Crash Site.

Now is the time to investigate the destroyed and slowly sinking vessel, for within may lie the keys that unlock
the PC's missing memories and time is short. Investigation soon proves to be less than easy, the ground
around the ship is treacherous, but with perseverance the PC's may manage to navigate the dangerous
sucking mud and reach the ship. What luck...it seems that after a tricky climb up the listing ship's side to an
open window, the captain's cabin is in the part of the ship still above the mud. As an additional bit of good
luck, an inspection of the ship reveals that one of the ships two windrigger lifeboats has survived the crash
and needs only minimal work to make it serviceable again. It looks like the other lifeboat was used to flee
the ship before it crashed and so there must have been some other survivors.
The inside of the captain's cabin is a chaotic mess. Most of
WHO: Swamp Lurker p.232
the furniture in the room has been bolted to the floor but
anything that wasn't securely fastened down when the ship APPEARANCE: 6’ 8’’, 300 – 500+lbs
crashed, has ended up in the bottom of the cabin (which is
SKILLS:
filled with gently oozing mud). Fortunately the mud is only a +6 +3 +3 NA Ability Level 9 - 19
couple of feet deep (except where the cabin door opens STR DEX PER CHA
downward into the depths of the swamp...the PCs had better
be careful where they tread!). Our intrepid scavengers soon +3 +4 -7
+3* WIL INT
find that the environs of the captain's erstwhile abode are an CON SPD
extremely unsuitable location in which to engage in combat.
Particularly with the hungry Swamp Lurker awaiting them 60
beneath the mire of the room and attempting to eat those who CR HP MR
SPECIAL: * in water, -3 SPD on land, amphibious,
disturb it. scaly hide PR 2, Tentacles DR 10 (3 ATT per
round, 8 HP each), Grasp: STR –6 to resist.
Once the savage beast is defeated it becomes safe (almost) to
search the cabin. Within a locked antique Thaecian bureau is a woman's vanity case containing cosmetic
powders from Cymril, perfumes from Farad and a small, elegant, pale cream diary. Little else of value or
interest is to be found but perusal of the daintily scribed diary reveals the innermost thoughts of a
Phantasian enchantress known as Starella. It seems that Starella is besotted with a handsome Phantasian
rogue, who is, by all accounts, less than half her age. Starella's writings detail, in flowery rhyming couplets,
her intense feelings for her young lover and her concerns about their leaving of Cabal Magicus under
dubious circumstances (which seem to have much to do with her lover's involvement in gambling and petty
crime). The diary seems fairly new and as such does not contain many entries within its pages; there is
however, an address for Starella scribed on the flysheet of the book. Careful examination of the diary might
reveal a hidden compartment within the gold embossed spine of the diary. Inside this compartment is a
carefully folded piece of ancient parchment, which holds sketchy notes in Archean on the operation of a
device, referred to as "The Archean Memory Essence Extractor".

GM Note: This device was in fore of the ship and was destroyed in the crash.

It appears that the PC's memories have been Thaumaturgically extracted and bottled. The only way the
missing memories might be recovered will be to track down the bottles holding the stolen thoughts and drink
them. Let's hope that the bottles, when found, are labelled correctly...it wouldn't do to drink the wrong
memories! Time to make a trip by windrigger to Starella's house above Phantas!

Scene Four - Lets Fly.

What travails await our heroes as they sail the skies above the Azure Ocean? Their ancient windrigger
contains an obsolete levitational and has a top speed of only twenty miles per hour. With a journey of some
two hundred and seventy miles ahead of them, it could take the party up to two days to reach their
destination. The PC's probably want to set out as soon as they have finished making the windrigger air
worthy, as another night spent in the noxious swamp does not seem terribly appealing. At full speed might
even reach Cabal Magicus by dawn.

Unfortunately the journey proves to be more difficult than it initially appeared. Mid way through the night the
wind begins to pick up and sailing soon becomes tricky as the little windrigger is tossed about. Heavy rain
begins to fall and soon everyone is thoroughly soaked and utterly miserable. The squall slows the party
down by about an hour as it blows them slightly off course, but at least no major harm seems to have been
done. As morning begins to lighten the sky the PC's begin to see the twinkling lights of Cabal Magicus in the
gloom ahead of them. By mid-morning the PC's have safely docked the windrigger and disembarked onto a
bustling pier. After paying a small tethering fee to a Phantasian sky-dock official, the party probably heads
to the nearest inn and a hearty breakfast of steamed rock-urchin.

Upon leaving the inn the PC's may notice a small poster, nearly ruined by the recent rain, pasted to a
building wall. The poster describes the PC's reasonably accurately and has rough sketches of them. At the
base of the poster is a statement indicating that the group is wanted for questioning regarding the suspected
kidnap of local woman and the theft of a valuable wind-ship. There is mention of a generous reward.
Looking around the PC's see several more of the wanted posters, but, as luck would have it, most have
been rendered illegible by water damage and no-one seems to have recognised them as yet.

After making whatever preparations and enquiries they wish, the group has little choice but to follow up on
the only lead they have - the address of the enchantress Starella. After making a few enquiries Starella's
apartment is soon located on the outskirts of a moderately wealthy mercantile area. Starella's pleasant little
home resides in a tall slender tower that is obviously in need of many minor repairs. There are few other
residents within the tower but those who do live there are mostly moderately wealthy craftsmen nearing
retirement. No one in the tower knew Starella well as she kept to herself following the death of her husband
many years ago. No one has seen Starella for about a week and they have no idea where she is now.
Should anyone act too suspiciously the local residents will summon the Phantasian Guard. It seems that the
most sensible course of action lies in waiting till nightfall and then breaking into the Starella's home when no
one is around.

Returning at night to break in the PC's discover that the door Ward vs lockpicking. continuous, L 10, Wizardry.
to the apartment is strong and the lock protecting it is of fine If lockpicking is attempted, the lock glows blue and the
quality, those sensitive to magical emanations may detect that lockpick is bent out of shape.
it is also warded in some way. Once the ward and lock are
defeated the party can enter the mysterious enchantress's home. Once the small apartment rooms are
illuminated the party can have a good look around. Starella's home is small but pleasing to the eye.
Hangings in delicate pastel shades adorn the cold, stone walls and flowing water can be heard bubbling
from a cleverly fashioned miniature fountain in the centre of the room. Perfumed silk cushions are scattered
across the floor and a well used hard-wood writing desk occupies a small, screened-off portion of the room
that is obviously some kind of office. Entering the bedroom activates some kind of magical wind chime,
which fills the air with ethereal sounding notes for nearly a minute. Careful searching of the rooms (which
consist of a bedroom, small bathroom, even smaller kitchen and a living area) reveals no clue as to the
location of the characters' missing memories, nor does it uncover any other pertinent information about their
situation. In fact, the only thing to be learned is that Starella appears to have no living relatives, is well off
and is an expert in the enchantment of astromantic globes. On a shelf beside her silk-swathed bed, sits a
small figurine of a young, handsome looking Phantasian. If touched the figurine comes to life and recites a
flowery love poem about Starella, then it blows a kiss and becomes inert once more (GM note: the figurine
is a scale model of Phrixies).

Whilst searching the living room the PC's are startled by the gentle opening of the glass living-room window,
though which a swarm of tiny glowing motes of silver light flit into the room (GM note: these motes are in fact
a dozen or so minor air elementals, sent by Starella to try and persuade the PC's to rescue her). The lights
begin to fly in a complex pattern so fast that the streams of luminescence begin to form letters in the air.
The pattern they form reads "Help" in High Talislan. Next the glowing motes form into an arrow shape
pointing toward the door out of the apartment. What else can the party do but follow these strange
instructions? Once the PC's begin moving, the motes guide them through the empty, echoing passages of
Cabal Magicus, lighting the way with their silvery light. Shortly the PC's find themselves in what looks like a
rather run-down and even more poorly maintained than usual part of the floating citadel. The flittering lights
glide down a disused, dark and dusty old corridor and form another arrow pointing at a thick, pitted, old iron
door. The lights slowly dim and then fade until all that remains of them is the glowing after-image on the
back of the PC's eyes and a faint but pleasant scent of spring blossoms.

Inspection of the iron door reveals that it is not magically warded and the lock is of poor quality. Much more
careful checking would be required to reveal that it is also trapped in some way. Should the door be opened
without disarming the trap, a cloud of scarlet leech powder will Scarlet Leech Powder: L12, on contact with air the
be released into the room beyond. Any exposed organic spores hatch and consume any organic material at DR 2
for 10 rounds.
material (such as might provide clues to searchers) will be consumed, as will anyone entering the room.
The apartment beyond the old and rusty door is basic in the extreme and was probably once home to a
Neurian servitor janitor or somesuch. There are two rooms to investigate - a washroom and a combined
kitchen/living room/bedroom. The rooms are unornamented and the shelves and cupboards are bare save
for a few articles of clothing and a personal grooming kit. Beside the sink is a single red iron cup, half full of
cold Mocha. On a table in the centre of the room are a pipe and two books (which will have been eaten if
the scarlet leech trap was sprung). The bowl of the pipe is coated with a black tarry resin (those
knowledgeable in drugs might be able to tell that the owner of the pipe was fond of smoking Kaj - a popular
drug in the desert kingdom of Rajanistan). Of the two books, both written in High Talislan, the first is a book
of poetry, seduction and lovemaking techniques and the second is an atlas of the Thaecian Isles. Careful
checking of the atlas reveals that one of the pages is has been carefully cut out. Geographers and such like
should be able to tell from the missing page's alphabetical position and from the fact that all other islands are
detailed in various degrees, that the removed page undoubtedly detailed the rocky island of Peridia.
Spike Trap, L4, DR 3 x 2 + Venomwood resin, L7, DR A thorough search of the room, if successful, reveals a loose
+8 (resist with CON for half) flagstone. Levering up the flagstone without first discovering and
disarming the trap mechanism that protects it, results in the
unfortunate opener of the concealed compartment beneath, being struck by two poisoned metal bolts. In the
space beneath the stone are a number of interesting artefacts, all wrapped in dark grey linen. The objects,
once unwrapped, consist of a small red-iron horned skull with holes for holding incense sticks in it, a bundle
of Kaj-laced incense sticks, a picture of Starella with her address written on the back and finally, a crumpled
bit of parchment with a single word written on it in a strange script (GM note: the script is Rajanin and the
word is Peridia). It wouldn't take a genius to work out that the trail seems to lead to the unpleasant, rocky
Thaecian island of Peridia.

As the PC's are preparing to leave the WHO: Phantasian Guardian

apartment and head for the skydock, they may APPEARANCE: 6’8’’ – 7’2’’, 160lbs-200lbs, pale skin, amber-coloured hair,
just be lucky enough to hear the muffled sounds narrow build, delicate features.
of voices approaching from the corridor outside. SKILLS:
Anyone listening at the door hears the voice of a +1 +1 +3 0 Aeromancy: Pilot windship +7
STR DEX PER CHA Move+8 Guard +7
loud lady, who is clearly the local busybody,
Conjure +8 Etiquette +5
describing to some guardsmen, how she 0 0 -1 +2 Defend +5 High Talislan: native
'watched those dirty criminals entering this very CON SPD WIL INT Reveal +5 Archean: fluent
corridor'. The PC's must move quickly to Astrromancy +4
+3 22 +3 Longsword +6
conceal themselves (difficult), kill or subdue the
CR HP MR Spear +5
guards (stupid) or climb out of a window and SPECIAL: -2 to all rolls due to armour.
scale the five stories to the street below Detect magic by sight at 5 ft. range (requires full concentration and roll PER
(dangerous). vs level of magic).
Once the situation has been resolved, it could Unaffected by natural wind and lightning and airborne toxins take an extra
round to arrive.
be considered an expedient time to return to the
moored windrigger and set sail for Peridia. EQUIPMENT: Cloak, ceremonial longsword (DR 8), spear (DR 8), 30 GL in
assorted currencies, ceremonial partial plate over padding (PR 6).

Scene Five - Den of Evil.

Sailing to Peridia at full speed takes around eleven hours, so the party arrives there mid-morning. Circling
the island and keeping a sharp lookout reveals, on the northern side of the rocky island, a couple of
significantly sized caves next to each other. Bringing the windrigger down to the level of the caves (which
are on a steep cliff-face about thirty metres above the crashing sea below) the PC's are able to get a better
look at the caves. WHO: Vird Infantryman

APPEARANCE: 5’-6’, 90 – 160lbs, lined and creased skin of dark

One cave has an entrance large enough to sail a hue, sparse hair, blood-red eyes, clawed hands and feet.
windrigger into and is connected to the other SKILLS:
smaller cave by a narrow, treacherous-looking +1 0 +1 -2 Rajan: native Ride +4
ledge. As the PC's observe the situation they STR DEX PER CHA Scimitar +5
come under crossbow fire from within the smaller Dagger +3
+3 0 +1 -2 Shield +4
cave. Two Vird infantrymen have taken cover CON SPD WIL INT Stealth: +3
behind large rocks and are firing from within the Climbing +3
darkness of the smaller cave. Defeating them will +3 20 -3 Artificer +3
CR HP MR Deception +2
Survival +7
SPECIAL: -2 to all DEX rolls whilst using shield.

EQUIPMENT: Dark grey cloak and veiled turban, armour (PR 2) and
shield (max DR 15) of Land Lizard hide, scimitar (DR 8), dagger
(DR 4), shoulder pouch, 2 GL in silver pieces, light crossbow (DR
6, 150’), 24 bolts.
not be easy. Eventually the PC's will need to anchor the windrigger inside the larger of the two caves.
Inside the large cave is another windrigger - identical to the one the PC's are in (it is the other lifeboat from
the crashed windship), aside from the lifeboat there is nothing else of interest within the cave. After
tethering their windrigger down, it should not be difficult to walk along the ten foot long (and two foot wide)
ledge to the other cave (that is unless either of the two soldiers are still alive - a violent melee on a narrow
ledge could be quite exciting). Once the two soldiers are dealt with the PC's can examine the environs of
the second cave.

The smaller cave is dark, damp and foul smelling. The cave extends into the cliff some ten metres,
narrowing all the way, and ends in a heavy, locked iron door.

(GM note: alerted by the battle outside, Vorn murders Starella, grabs the information has extracted from her
and then hides himself using a mixture of magical and skill. Vorn intends to slip out behind the party and
make for the windrigger after the party has have entered the base.)

On the other side of the doors the PC's discover a short, twenty-foot corridor. Directly to their left and right
are two weighted curtains covering entrances to other rooms or corridors. Ahead and to the right is an open
iron door with a small barred window in it. Finally, directly ahead is a large, grey curtain covered in a huge
skull design. All of the rooms and the corridor itself appear to have been scooped out of the rock and the
walls have a smooth surface that looks like fossilised ooze.

The curtained room the left of the entrance door contains the base's stores - food, some weapons, tools etc..

The first room on the right contains half a dozen bunk beds where once the Vird infantrymen slept (before all
but two died of Corpse Rot), at the foot of each bed is a small trunk for the owners possessions.

The iron door further down the corridor and on the right, is the door to a cell. Inside the cell is the corpse of
Starella who has just had her throat slit by Vorn. Starella has obviously been subjected to torture prior to her
killing and lies naked and manacled in a spreading pool of her own blood and excrement.
WHO: Vird Zombie

APPEARANCE: 5’-6’, 90 – 160lbs, lined and

creased skin of dark hue, sparse hair, blood-red
eyes, clawed hands and feet. Corpse.
SKILLS:
+4 -2 +1 NA Ability Level +4
STR DEX PER CHA

+6 -2 NA NA
CON SPD WIL INT

+3 23 -3
CR HP MR
SPECIAL: -2 to all DEX rolls whilst using shield.
Soulstone in cranium.
EQUIPMENT: Dark grey cloak and veiled turban,
armour (PR 2) and shield (max DR 15) of Land
Lizard hide, scimitar (DR 8)
The room behind the skull tapestry is a small temple dedicated to death. The temple is octagonal and is
decorated with grisly wall hangings depicting gruesome scenes of death, dying and decay. Any PC's
entering the room are attacked by several recently animated unliving; one of the walking corpses is that of
Phrixies and the others are deceased Vird soldiers, all are badly decayed. There are two parallel lines of
small iron braziers on tripods spaced three feet apart, leading from the entranceway to a black stone altar at
the other end of the room. The air in here reeks of Kaj and blood. The altar rests at the top of a small,
stepped plinth and has manacles to hold arms and legs built into it. Behind the altar is a large row of hooks
from which hang around a dozen humanoid skulls. To the left of the entrance, in one of the sides of the
octagon, is a locked iron door. Behind this door is the personal room of the Raj-Vorn. Vorn's room contains
a number of death-related icons, torture implements on hooks, drugs and poisons of various kinds, a
number of live Amber Wasps in jars (used for torture) and various notes detailing parts of his mission. Also
in the room is a cabinet containing Starella personal effects and several unlabeled amberglass bottles. The
bottles contain the characters missing memories, though it will take either someone psychically sensitive or
a skilled thaumaturgist to determine which bottle belongs to which person. As the PC's are searching the
room they hear a clatter in the corridor outside. Rushing outside the PC's witness the entrance door
swinging open. Upon running out of the cave they see one of the wind-riggers, manned by a grey clothed

WHO: Raj-Vorn

APPEARANCE: 6’3’’, 180lbs, Dark brown skin, wiry build, black hair, blood-
red eyes, horn-like protrusions on forehead and chin. As Phrixies 6’11’’,
180lbs, pale skin, amber-coloured hair, narrow build, delicate features.
SKILLS:
+1 0* +2 +1 Rajan: native Deception +10
STR DEX PER CHA Archean: basic Torture: +5
High Talislan: fluent Alchemy (Powders
0 +2 +2 0 Low Talislan: fluent & Poisons) +5
CON SPD WIL INT Da-Khar +6 Necromancy:
Dagger +5 Summon +10
+3 20 +3 Assasinate +6 Transform +6
CR HP MR Stealth: +5 Attack +9
Etiquette +4 Defend +7
Seduce +4 Traps +4
SPECIAL: Euphoria due to *Kaj addiction (-2 INT, -1 DEX, +1 PER).

EQUIPMENT: Mask of Death: (triggered, continuous ‘Face of Death’

enchantment, L6, requires 10 drams of dead victims blood to be poured into
the mask’s face to activate).
Iron Bound Spellbook, Silk Phantasian garments, 2 daggers (DR 4), Da-
Khar (clawed gauntlets) (DR3 + DR8 poison(venom wood: resist with CON
for half), pouch of powders and poisons( venomwood resin x2, vipers
blood, morphius powder, scarlet leech powder, smoke powder), 20 drams of
Kaj.

Rajan, sailing into the sky, thus ensues a thrilling air chase as the party pursue (hopefully) in their own
windrigger. Since both windriggers are the same - it will be skill and magic that determine if the party
catches Vorn. The Rajan will be hampered by the fact that he will have to pause from controlling his vessel
to fire off spells and missiles at his pursuers. Vorn will not be taken alive, so the adventure will conclude
with the death of the man who has caused the PC's so much grief. In all probability Vorn will show his
dedication to Death by trying to take a sacrifice with him to his grave. If his end seems certain he will
attempt to bring his windrigger alongside that of the PC's and then launch himself at one of them in a final
attempt to take someone with him over the side and to death in the sea below.

Epilogue.

With Vorn's death the PC's should have the leisure to peruse the information gathered from the base and
with the return of their memories they should be able to piece together the events that have led them to their
current circumstances. Unfortunately that doesn't change the fact that they've committed a crime, though if
they bring what they've found they'll probably have their sentence commuted from five years in prison to
three months community service (possibly working for the Navy). If the GM wishes, the events prior to the
PCs' memory loss could be run as a separate adventure, which could be played upon the drinking of their
bottled memories.
END.

XP Award: 15 + 1-10 for good roleplaying.